PR Pro Offers Tips on Good Relations with Media

Think carefully about what you want the media to remember about your organization and what the media expect from you in return, counseled Adam Konowe in a class on building happy long-term relationships with journalists.

Young professionals, students, job-changers, as well as seasoned public relations practitioners listened Dec. 4 as Konowe covered in nuanced detail how to field inquiries from journalists and gave some humorous -- and some challenging -- life-examples of media relations.

Rights you have as an organization's spokesperson and rights you don't have were discussed in lively interchange with audience members. How to conduct an interview and how to handle tough or hostile questions followed. Public relations etiquette after an interview and attribution and confidentiality issues were also covered in the two-hour class.

Konowe is vice president of public relations at Sullivan Higdon & Sink and adjunct professor of communications at American University.

This class was sponsored by the NPC's Professional Development Committee. If you have ideas for future classes, please contact committee chairwoman Susan Heavey at [email protected].